The Wayback List: Book Review

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Friday, April 4, 2014

Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven book review by The Wayback List

Title: Fablehaven (Fablehaven #1)

Author: Brandon Mull

Rating: ****

ISBN: 978-1-59038-581-4

Genre: Young Adult - Fiction - Fantasy - Adventure - Magic

Source: Library

Summary: From Goodreads: "For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite... Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order amoung greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most."

Thoughts: I was very pleasantly surprised by Fablehaven. I was looking for a completely different book on the young adult shelves at the library when this one caught my eye. I had seen the cover many times before, but avoided picking it up because I assumed it was a Spiderwick wanna-be. This time, however, I decided that it might be worth taking a peek at, and brought it home with me.

Boy was I glad!

I found myself readily enjoying the story Brandon Mull put forth in Fablehaven, and am looking forward to returning to the library ASAP so that I can get my hands on the rest of the series.

I thought that Mull's characters were engaging and consistent. Seth was a very frustrating yet endearing younger brother, and Kendra's fears and concerns were very relatable. I remember being a lot like her at that age. Mull wrote them in very believable ways, and I was never jolted out of the story through thinking that a character had done something out of their nature. (One of my biggest pet peeves for a book.)

The fairies and other magical creatures in the books were both parts wonderfully fantastic and terribly creepy when they needed to be. This book might concern some very young readers, but I do not think that they would find it overly frightening. The book balanced the scary parts of the story with light-hearted scenes and characters who looked out for each other.

I appreciated that, even though Seth was the reckless, rule-disobeying character, it was obvious that Kendra still cared for her younger brother. Sure, they had their sibling moments, and there were times when she would threaten to tattle on him, but I never got annoyed at these moments like I have with some other young adult books. Instead, I felt like both Seth and the reader knew enough about what was going on to see that Kendra was coming from a place of genuine concern and not trying to "play mother" as the older sibling.

Another thing I appreciated was that there were genuine consequences for every action. Whatever that action may be, something reacted to it. Both positively and negatively.

Overall I would say this is a highly enjoyable read and I will definitely be looking in to the rest of the series.

Favorite Quote(s):
- Grandpa became very serious. "None of these creatures are good. Not the way we think of good. None are safe. Much of morality is peculiar to mortality. The best creatures here are merely not evil." (page 80)

- "We did not really live, not like mortals. We dreamed." (page 91)

- "Evil likes darkness."
"Why is that?" Seth asked.
[...] thought about the question a moment before answering. "Because evil likes to hide." (page 284)

What do you think of the Fablehaven series? Do you like Fablehaven or Spiderwick better?

- Faye

Friday, March 28, 2014

Blogger Book Club March Read: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Rating: *****
ISBN: 0525478817
Genre: Fiction - Young Adult - Romance - Contemporary
Summary: From Goodreads: "Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But what a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."

Thoughts: I have a very hard time coming up with something new and unique to say about this book. It is heart-wrenching, but beautifully honest. Sure, you could look at some of Augustus and Hazel's conversations as rambling, repetitive, and juvenile, but guys, think about their ages. Think about what else they are going through and how they are handling it. I found it easy to forgive that might have been perceived as annoying in other books, because I saw so much wit and beauty in the rest of their stories.

I don't know if you know the whole story, I knew the whole story going in, and I really did not want to read this one. But I decided it would be good for me to step out and challenge myself, and I am so glad that I did.

This book will challenge you. It will probably make you cry. I understand that John Green took some liberties with the depiction of cancer (making up the drug that Hazel was taking), but I also felt as if he accurately described what it was like to have cancer and to be a family stricken by that reality. I came away from the book with more sympathy and more understanding for what so many people go through. I also came away so thankful that I am not stricken by cancer and that I can live a life with an undisclosed ending.

Sometimes we need a couple flawed heroes to show us what life is really about.

Favorite Quote(s): (Oh my gosh, guys, picking out favorite quotes is making me tear up again. This book! It gets inside of you!)

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."

"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."

"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you."

"You gave me forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."

Discussion Questions: (Please note, though I do my best to keep spoilers out of my reviews, discussion questions are by nature for people who have read the book and may contain spoilers. Read them at your own risk! Also, if you are responding to one of the discussion questions in the comments below, please put SPOILERS at the beginning of any portions of your comment that might ruin the book for other interested parties. Thank you!)

- Augustus' cigarette. What did you all think of this symbol that he carried around? Did you cry when Hazel had to come find him (and call the ambulance) at the gas station because he was trying so hard to take control again and get himself a new pack of cigarettes? I know this annoys some people, but I felt that Augustus' unlit cigarette was Augustus doing exactly what the book kept saying - controlling the killing thing. He could make life worse for himself, he could make his body deteriorate faster, but instead he holds it in his mouth and mocks the killing machine - feeling powerful when everything around him says he's weak.

- What did you think about the way the book ended? How we never get to know for sure the rest of Hazel's story?

- What did you think of Augustus' death being Hazel's 10? I cried. Loss is such a powerful thing - it's hard to feel any worse than you feel when you loose something - I was just amazed that for someone so young she realized so much.

- What do you think about the movie that's coming out? Will you go see it? I won't. The actors they chose just aren't my interpretations of Hazel and Augustus, and I'd rather stick with the ones I fell in love with.

- What did you think of Augustus' desire to do something big or to die an epic death?

- What did you think about the idea that the universe wants to be noticed? Do you think the world works that way?

- What did you think about Hazel's desire to not be a grenade? Is that even possible?

Do you like reading books that make you cry? What are some other beautiful tear-jerkers I should look in to?

-Faye

Friday, March 21, 2014

Review: Rare Beasts by Charles Ogden

Title: Rare Beasts (Edgar & Ellen #1)
Author: Charles Ogden
Rating: ***
ISBN: 1416914099
Genre: Juvenile - Fantasy - Humor
Summary: From Goodreads: "Twins Edgar and Ellen live alone -- their parents disappeared years ago, and who can blame them?--in the quaint, little town of Nod's Limbs, in a grim, gray house overlooking the cemetery and the junkyard. They spend their days avoiding Heimertz, the mysterious accordion-playing caretaker; pestering Pet, a hairy, one-eyed creature of indeterminate species and gender; and wrecking havoc on the hapless citizens of Nod's Limbs.

But wrecking havoc can incur expenses, so the twins come up with a unique fund-raising scheme: They'll nab the pets of Nod's Limbs and transform them into exotic animals they can sell for big bucks. Not a bad plan, if one of the purloined pets wasn't a lethargic python with a raging appetite..."

Thoughts: This is a twisted and humorous piece of juvenile fiction, but I would be careful about the maturity and discernment of the children I allowed to read it. Edgar and Ellen are downright dangerous and brutal in the ways they play together at times. (We're talking weapons and other less-than-safe activities.) They also absolutely delight in mischief and misery -- their home is falling apart and they love it that way, they also relish the pitiful cries of Nod's Limbs' children as they search for their lost pets.

As an adult, I found parts of it humorous. It reminded me of a simplified version of the Series of Unfortunate Events books, though this time the children are the ones with the power. Adults are not displayed as especially repulsive, but nor are they displayed as intelligent - almost like Roald Dahl loves to display the adult figures in his books.

Overall, I thought it was a decent attempt at juvenile fiction. Definitely not near the best that I have read, but I would not be opposed to suggesting it to a child with the ability to discern what it meant for humor and what is actually appropriate about the story.

Favorite Quote(s): None.

What is your opinion of twisted children's literature?

- Faye

Friday, March 14, 2014

Review: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

Title: The Interestings
Author: Meg Wolitzer
Rating: **
ISBN: 1594488398
Genre: Fiction - Adult - Contemporary
Summary: From Goodreads: "The summer Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge.

The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes and engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules' now-married best friends, become shockingly successful - true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and shapes their lives have taken.

Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life."

Thoughts: I did not enjoy this book. I did not exactly hate it, but when I turned the last page I thought, "That was it? I went through all of that for this?" I must admit I felt a little betrayed. This book has been raved over (and equally despised), but I thought surely I would at least fall in to the middle segment; the segment that didn't love it or hate it.

I was pretty close to hating it.

I appreciated how frankly honest the characters were. I appreciated that they were human and struggled with very human things. I struggled with Jules in thinking that maybe Ash was just a little too perfect - though that did make Jules a little more relate-able.

I think the biggest thing for me was that I felt as if Wolitzer was trying to tackle too many ideas on too few pages and without any distinct rises and falls to break the journey up a bit. It was too much like real life, therefore it was too hard to fully focus on the directions she was trying to pull her readers in. I think if the whole book had primarily focused on Jules' jealousy I would have been able to appreciate what she was going for better. Instead, I felt like the "big epiphany" was incredibly small and that the book just rushed to a close as soon as it happened - the reader wasn't even left with enough information to know if the "epiphany" had actually occurred so that they could imagine what happened after the last page.

The book was a complete let down to me, regardless of Wolitzer's witty moments and interesting vocabulary. It felt flat at the end, and I felt betrayed as the reader.

Favorite Quote(s):
"Part of the beauty of love was that you didn't need to explain it to anyone else. You could refuse to explain. With love, apparently you didn't necessarily feel the need to explain anything at all."

"...he's infuriated that his e-reader allows him to only know the percentage of a book he's read, not the number of pages. This, he thinks, is 92 percent stupid."

"She recognized that this is how friendships begin: one person reveals a moment of strangeness, and the other person decides just to listen and not exploit it."

Discussion Questions: (Please note, though I do my best to keep spoilers out of my reviews, discussion questions are by nature for people who have read the book and may contain spoilers. Read them at your own risk! Also, if you are responding to one of the discussion questions in the comments below, please put SPOILERS at the beginning of any portions of your comment that might ruin the book for other interested parties. Thank you!)

- What did you think of Jules' (originally Julie) name change? Did it have a greater significance to the book than being the change that allowed her to be accepted in to the group? Did the name change actually change Jules in any way?

- There was a huge emphasis, at least on Jules' part, on the importance of class. Is there such a thing as a higher and lower class? Do classes only exist to those who actually care or is it a widespread idea that permeates everyone and everywhere?

- Jules' jealousy. What did you think about the way she handled this and how deeply it affected her? I must say, this was the one part of the book that I actually felt like was true - at least for me. I could relate to Jules and her feelings, they were so human and raw, even if at times it did feel a bit...obsessive, perhaps.

- Goodman Wolf. What did you think about the fact that he went from so good looking to someone so ugly, both inside and out? Did you think it was poetic justice? What did you think about the way his family treated his whole situation? That was a moral dilemma that plagued me through a lot of the book.

- What did you think about how Ash chose to handle Goodman's situation in regards to Ethan? Does it say anything about Ethan and Ash's relationship that she felt like she couldn't tell him? What about what happened to their relationship when it all came out?

- What did you think about how Ethan continued to have feelings for Jules throughout the entire book even though he was with Ash and Jules was married to Dennis?

Have you read any of Ms. Wolitzer's other novels? How do you think that they compare to The Interestings?

- Faye

Friday, March 7, 2014

Review: Candy for Christmas by Joanne Fluke

This short story is found in the back of the book Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.

Title: Candy for Christmas

Author: Joanne Fluke

Rating: **

ISBN: (I could not find a unique ISBN, it comes in the back of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.)

Genre: Fiction - Cozy Mystery - Short Story - Cooking

Source: Apple App Store Free Book of the Week

Summary: From Goodreads: "In the Novella, Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, discovers that someone has broken into her store. Perhaps this individual is simply sleeping there to stay warm. Whoever this individual is, they clean up before they leave. So Hannah plans, with Norman's help, to catch the intruder in the act (and they do). What unwinds is a tale of innocence and a dysfunctional family who is reunited due to Hannah's understanding and sense of fairness."

Thoughts: This was a cute short story that takes place around Christmas. It succeeds highly as a brief, uplifting tale that will certainly help put you in the Christmas spirit. However, I felt like the story was under-developed due to the format via which it was being told. There was no real suspense, and the way the adults handled Candy's situation - though definitely the ideal approach - also felt unrealistic and slightly underhanded. I enjoy Joanne Fluke's full novels much more, and I think this story would have been better if she had stuck with her normal format.

What is your opinion of the short story genre? Are there any short stories I should check out?

- Faye

Friday, February 28, 2014

Review: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Title: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery #1)

Author: Joanne Fluke

Rating: ***

ISBN: 0758213506

Genre: Cozy Mystery - Adult - Crime - Cooking - Mystery
Source: Apple App Store Free Book of the Week

Summary: From Goodreads: "Hannah Swensen already has her hands full, between dodging her mother's attempts to marry her off, and running Lake Eden, Minnesota's most popular bakery, The Cookie Jar. But when the Cozy Cow Dairy's beloved delivery man is found murdered behind Hannah's bakery with her famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, Hannah sets out to track down a killer. The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. This is one murder that's starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah's mouth, and if she doesn't watch her back, her sweet life may get burned to a crisp."

Thoughts: This book was a very light and cozy read. I discovered it because it was iBook's free eBook of the week one week during February. I read it in two or three small parts of evenings before bed, and thought it was a perfect before bed read because (even though there were elements of mystery) it wasn't so well written or so engaging that I had trouble setting it down when I got tired. However, I did enjoy it. Hannah is a no-fuss, friendly, and relate-able heroine. She had a lot of advantages going for her new-found sleuthing skills because of the small town she lives in and her prior relationships to most of the people in the book.

The small town atmosphere was realistic and relate-able. I think what I liked about this book is that it didn't pretend to be something it wasn't. It wasn't a scary mystery, or one with a shocker ending. Hannah and her lifestyle were simple and cozy, and it contained all of the amusing, cheesy moments you might hope for due to the cover.

I would say that this book is perfect for airplane flights or if you're looking for something that you can enjoy in a weekend. If you are looking for a great mystery or hugely suspenseful elements, or even really great writing, this would not be the mystery novel for you.

OH! And there are several recipes contained within the novel so that you can bake all of the goodies that Hannah talks about serving at her bakery, The Cookie Jar.

Discussion Questions: (Please note, though I do my best to keep spoilers out of my reviews, discussion questions are by nature for people who have read the book and may contain spoilers. Read them at your own risk! Also, if you are responding to one of the discussion questions in the comments below, please put SPOILERS at the beginning of any portions of your comment that might ruin the book for other interested parties. Thank you!)

- What did you think of Hannah's relationship with her mother? Do you think Hannah handled it well or could she have been doing anything better/differently? Did her mother's desperation for Hannah to get married seem odd to anyone else?

- What did you think of Hannah's romantic "love triangle" situation that developed towards the end of the book? Too unrealistic? Too impractical? Is she getting in over her head?

What books are you all reading right now? Any cozy mysteries I should be looking in to?

- Faye

Friday, February 21, 2014

Review: A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book by Elsie Larson + Emma Chapman

Title: A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book: 95 Inspiring Ideas for Photographing Your Friends, Your World, and Yourself

Author: Elsie Larson, Emma Chapman

Rating: ***

ISBN: 0770434037

Genre: Non-Fiction - Photography - How To

Source: Library

Summary: From Goodreads: "Whether it's of your sister's smile, your morning coffee, or your new puppy, photos are a way to connect on Facebook and Instagram, keep a visual diary of our lives, and create mementos for future generations. Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, creators of the mega-popular DIY style blog A Beautiful Mess, are in love with photographing everyday life. Here, they share that love with 95 all-new tips and photo challenges that will inspire you to style and snap better photos and then transform them into simple yet stunning projects and gifts."

Thoughts: I enjoy reading the A Beautiful Mess blog and find inspiration in a lot of what they do there. When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued and excited. However, I found the book to be sadly underwhelming. Though there were some helpful tips and beautiful images, I did not find myself wowed by any of their suggestions. The ladies provided some wonderful suggestions for created a beautifully curated life, the type most people want to display on Instagram, but not a beautifully realistic life. If you want to learn to capture day-to-day moments and actually develop your photography skills, there are much better books available elsewhere. If you are looking for some suggestions regarding how to capture better selfies or a few photo project suggestions, then you might find what you are looking for within these pages.

What do you think of this book written by the ladies over at A Beautiful Mess? Did you find any of it helpful and inspiring or was it all something you had heard before?

- Faye